A LETTER HAS BEEN CORRECTED. SEE BELOW.

Marriage equality law won’t affect schools

Two weeks ago, the Legislature took an important step toward ensuring equal rights for all by legalizing same-sex marriage here in Hawaii and ensuring the protection of religious freedom.

Unfortunately, since the passage of the bill, outside special interests groups have continued their attempts to influence matters within our state and in our schools, ("School in the same-sex era," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 17).

Let us be very clear on this: The legislation we passed on marriage equality does not amend, address, mention or discuss the curriculum in public schools or any other schools.

Hawaii Department of Education Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi has stated, "For the record, the Department of Education does not have marriage as a lesson in its curriculum."

Don Horner, chairman of the Board of Education, has been quoted as saying, "The board has no pending educational policy changes as a result of the new law."

We understand that the marriage equality bill has generated deep feelings both for and against within our state, but whether they supported the bill or not, the overwhelming majority of Hawaii residents do not appreciate mainland groups attempting to influence decisions affecting our communities and keiki.

Rep. Karl Rhoads
House Judiciary Committee chairman
Rep. Roy Takumi
House Education Committee chairman

Gay marriage talk will confuse students

The ink on Gov. Neil Abercombie’s document legitimizing homosexual marriage in Hawaii had not dried yet when I read in the newspaper that homosexuality will be introduced to Hawaii keiki in public schools.

Legalizing homosexual marriage will no doubt affect a person’s ability to address the moral aspect of homosexuality. This will further establish homosexuality in the public school curriculum.

Not only will students be taught about homosexuality, but they will probably be instructed that opposition to homosexuality is a vestige of America’s dark past of discrimination. Homosexuality marriage will be presented as equal to heterosexual marriage.

Our young keiki are very susceptible to sexual-identity teaching. When you teach a little boy from the first grade on that when he grows up, it will be perfectly all right for him to marry David, his friend; when you teach first-grade children that Nalani has two mommies and Kekoa has two daddies and that’s perfectly normal — talk about creating sexual confusion.

But that eventually will happen as our public schools prepare for this controversial change.

Traditional marriage is not about equal rights but about establishing norms for sexual relationships within society.

Melvin Partido Sr.
Pearl City

Town hall meeting was just a sham

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell came to the Kahuku High School cafeteria, along with members of his staff, to meet with Koolauloa residents in what he called a town hall meeting.

The meeting was anything but a town hall meeting; it resembled more of a stop on his campaign trail.

I have never been to a town hall meeting where members of the public were not able to express their concerns directly, but were instead told to write their questions down on a piece of paper.

The questions were hand-picked by the mayor and then were read aloud by a member of his staff.

Community members present watched in amazement as the mayor thumbed through questions, looking for safe questions to answer.

Mayor Caldwell, don’t urbanize Koolauloa. Keep the country country.

Joshua Noga
Hauula

Banana slug threat was mischaracterized

Regarding the article on the arrival of Christmas trees in the islands ("First big Christmas tree shipment arrives in isles," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 18), my lab is where the state Department of Agriculture brings the slugs found on them for identification.

First, we have found many slugs in the shipments, but never banana slugs.

Second, the article states that banana slugs can carry the rat lungworm parasite, which can cause serious disease. It’s true that the parasite is carried by various species of slugs and snails — but not banana slugs.

Third, the rat lungworm is a tropical/subtropical species not present in the Pacific Northwest.

Slugs are found in the Christmas tree shipments every year. If we find species that are not present in Hawaii, then the shipments are treated, sent back or destroyed. This will continue to happen despite the best efforts of the growers, shippers and inspectors.

The only sure way to prevent these invasions is not to import Christmas trees but to use artificial ones or grow our own here in Hawaii.

Robert H. Cowie
Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawaii

CORRECTION: Banana slugs are not among the species of slugs and snails that can carry the rat lungworm parasite. An earlier version of this letter in Sunday’s Star-Advertiser said banana slugs are not among species of slugs and snails that can carry the rat lungworm virus.

State should not do business with CGI

CGI’s vice president and Hawaii client executive recently claimed her company performed well for the state Department of Taxation ("CGI has performed well for tax office and health care website," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 14).

Unfortunately for Hawaii’s taxpayers, such claims are grossly misleading.

What started out in 1999 as a $51 million, five-year effort to upgrade the department’s aging computer system turned into an $87.5 million payout to a company that has created a culture of discord. Taking 14 years to do the job, with major system implementations and enhancements, CGI caused delay in contract deliverables and demonstrated poor long-term planning.

Favored for the contracts, CGI has gotten away with not completing contract requirements and not being held accountable for defects and system integration problems. More significant, serious management conflicts and increased workload have led to increased tension between CGI’s employees and department staff.

CGI is not a company with whom the state should be doing business, and is an example of what can occur when public sector work is contracted out to private companies without the appropriate safeguards and meaningful accountability.

Randy Perreira
Executive director, HGEA/AFSCME Local 152

It’s sad to see passing of small-town flavors

Mahalo for your editorial about the land sale in Kailua ("Public should shape future of Kailua," Star-Advertiser, Our View, Nov. 18).

I applaud you for the courage to expose the damage done at the expense of promoting tourism.

Our small town has reached the point where residents can no longer enjoy our beaches and offshore islands, recreational areas and hiking trails because they are overcrowded and eroded.

We can no longer shop and dine in places we grew up with. For appointments or errands, we have to survive the "battle zone" of tour buses, vans, limos, Segways, bicycles and kayaks crowding the streets, sidewalks and parking lots.

For those who defend the money this contributes to the economy, read the disturbing paragraph about how new owners "will enjoy the potential for substantial future profit through redevelopment," including "rental rate increases."

I grew up in Kailua, work in Waikiki with tourists, and love both. But I’m saddened with what has happened to all our little towns.

Laurie Lindsay
Kailua

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FROM THE FORUM @ STARADVERTISER.COM

Readers of the Star-Advertiser’s online edition can respond to stories posted there. The following are some of those. Instead of names, pseudonyms are generally used online. They have been removed.

"H-1 zipper lane gets second look," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 18:

» You could build 50 more lanes and it wouldn’t help. The congestion occurs where the lanes have to remerge. The dense traffic trying to maneuver through this area would just back up the slowing down area all the way back to town.

» For 20 years I have been saying the only good solution is to double deck the H-1. Make it a toll road, if necessary. The traffic is not going away. Especially if they keep approving new housing subdivisions.

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"First big Christmas tree shipment arrives in isles," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 18:

» Wouldn’t it be nice if we could wait a couple of weeks so the trees would actually be green for Christmas?

» We switched to an artificial tree many years ago. A couple of real wreaths and some scented candles work for us. We have no little ones in the house anymore so why go to the expense and bother? I know, bah humbug. But for those who look forward to the trees, please do enjoy.

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"State seeks solutions for prisons," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 19:

» Simple: Put fewer people in prison. Hiring a private company to build … a new prison is only going to create an entity that is determined to stay in business, and to do that there must always be more prisoners.

» For a while there was a huge open space next door to the prison when Foremost Milk closed its operations. Why did the state not do something to acquire that land to expand the current prison?

» Look for solutions to decrease the cost of incarceration and not increase it.

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"Measure to ban lying down on city sidewalks is deferred," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 20:

» What possible logic can there be to not pass this bill? Does anyone really not mind folks lying down on a public sidewalk? Common sense again fails to prevail.

» A sidewalk is usually a concrete path next to a road for people to walk on. Center a law on that definition and say anything or anybody that hampers, stops or restricts the normal walking ability is subject to removal and fines.

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"House member calls off shopping cart raids," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 20:

» State Rep. Tom Brower is a hero. Sorry, folks, this situation is out of control.

» Brower demonstrated poor judgment, a lack of remorse for his violent behavior and a callous disregard for the most impoverished in our community. The police and prosecutor should not ignore this. He should be prosecuted for criminal property damage.

» And how about the people that had the stolen carts? Shouldn’t they be prosecuted for theft, or having stolen property in their possession?

» The shopping carts may or may not have been stolen. In a previous article it said Foodland lets shoppers take the carts home, if they want, then leave in a public place for pickup. Maybe a homeless found it on the street. Previous article said Goodwill used to sell the carts. Innocent until proven guilty is what this country was founded on.

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"Arts director quits over photo misuse," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 21:

» Hawaiian culture has been commodified and packaged for the tourism market for more than a century. This is only one more manifestation. Leaving aside the licensing issues, which really aren’t the main substance of the offense, the misuse of the image speaks to a general ignorance of Hawaiian history and spirituality. I’d be upset, too.

» As much as Iolani Luahine is to be revered, using her wonderful photo to promote goods is a way to expose her to a greater audience inside and outside of Hawaii. It is possible that those purchasing such goods would take the time to research and find out all there is to know about this magnificent woman who was a leader in every sense of the word.

» Funny that this action results in a termination but we can spend $205 million on an ineffective Health Connector and nobody is held responsible.

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"Rebellion against use of GMOs may compel governor to intervene," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 21:

» The governor already got involved when he tried a last-minute end run around the County of Kauai by trying to implement a gutless, toothless, voluntary and nonbinding agreement for Monsanto and Syngenta to enact larger buffer zones and report what quantities of experimental pesticides they are spraying.

» Science was ignored on Kauai and Hawaii islands. It was hysterics and lies that resulted in bad law to appease a vocal minority.